Women march en masse in latest rally in Belarus

MINSK, Belarus — About 10,000 women marched noisily through the Belarusian capital Saturday, beating pots and pans and shouting for the resignation of the country’s authoritarian president in the 35th consecutive day of large anti-government protests.

Many carried portraits of Maria Kolesnikova, a leader of the opposition Coordination Council, which is seeking a new presidential election for the ex-Soviet nation of 9.5 million people. She was jailed this week after police tried to force her out of the country. Her lawyer says Kolesnikova was driven to the border with Ukraine but tore up her passport and refused to leave Belarus.

Others carried placards reading “You painted my heart with blue pain,” referring to President Alexander Lukashenko’s claim that some women previously had painted themselves to appear to have been bruised by police beatings.

Lukashenko refuses to meet with the council, and most of its leaders have been detained or have left the country.

The protests began Aug. 9 after a presidential election that officials say handed Lukashenko a sixth term in office with 80 percent support. Opponents and some poll workers say the election results were rigged.

The protests are the largest and most widespread of Lukashenko’s 26 years in power. Sunday demonstrations in the capital of Minsk have repeatedly brought out crowds of more than 100,000. Protests have broken out in other major cities in Belarus, and strikes have hit some of the country’s major state-owned industries.

Lukashenko met Saturday with top officials of the country’s security agencies. Throughout the unrest, he has rejected any concessions and has repeatedly accused Belarus’ western neighbors of preparing to overthrow his government.